June 12 – Gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:37-41; “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 ¶ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
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As it is with the majority of Joseph Smith’s doctrines, so it is today. It’s a rare day when something of his tells the whole truth. This is how people are tricked into the web of Mormon lies. It is indeed true, there is a difference between receiving the HS, and receiving the gift of the HS.
Receiving the HS takes place when someone accepts Jesus into their heart after God speaks to them personally by convicting them of their sin, and their need of a Redeemer.
The gift of the HS is a real event someone has after accepting the Lord as their Savior.
After accepting Jesus into their heart, life does a 180° turnabout because the HS begins working inside of the individual. There will be a marked change in the way they live their life.
Smith lied by stating the HS would have left the person if they didn’t accept the invitation. First of all, Smith doesn’t know the mind of God, and has to idea when God gives up on a certain individual. Secondly, the individual never did have the HS with them to begin with. They may have godly ideas floating around in their head, but this doesn’t mean the HS resides inside of them. Jesus told His disciples when the Comforter comes to take up residence, He never leaves! John 14:16
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Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, p. 285; “Holy Ghost, Gift of. There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him. (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 Vols. 4:555)” – edited by Larry E. Dahl and Donald Q. Cannon [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997]
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